Sunday, August 30, 2015

sMAG August ENews

Term
3 holds the music education performance calendar.Please remember to take time out for
yourselves and re-energise throughout the winter!

Victorian Inquiry Implementation Update

PREVIOUS PARTNERSHIP
ACTIONS ANNOUNCED AND IMPLEMENTED

Action 1:The VCAA is developing the
Guide and will consult on a regular basis with stakeholders. Inviting
participation, via the Notice to Schools is one consultation strategy that will
be used. Members of the education community are invited to email Helen Champion
directly, as she will hear expressions of interest to participate in
development of the guide: http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/correspondence/notices/2014/81.aspx

Action 2: ONLINE
NING - contributing to the professional conversation. The DET are
engaging in this NING, empowering your public voice in policy development and
are quoted here "Your engagement with, and input into the
discussions in this space will provide guidance and direction to inform the
development of policy, frameworks and advice on music education for Victorian
children and young people." Please click:http://musiceducation.ning.com/main/authorization/signUpand make your
thoughts known.

Expressions
of Interest were garnished from schools to participate in Musical Futures
Australia Teacher Professional Learning Programs to support the delivery of
quality music education in Victorian schools. Around 107 schools and 143 teachers
have enrolled in the program, and the PD is now being rolled out across
Melbourne and various regional centers.http://www.musicalfuturesaustralia.org/victoria.html

Annual Action:DET have taken their
second round of data in the annual schools census, which furthers meeting the
requirements for Recommendation 1 in
the inquiry report.

The
fourth DET sponsored Music Education Twilight Seminar offered a presentation from
Richard Gill OAM“Quality music
education for all” on August 6, 2015.The inspiring hour was filmed and is available on the Music Education
Ning.To view the video, please login or
request membership to join the Ning and go to the ‘Seminars’ page.

The
Education Minister, Mr Merlino is calling for all Victorians to have their say
on the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD).http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/have-your-say-on-supporting-s…Parents, carers, students, principals,
teachers, support and specialist staff and advocates are encouraged to submit
their solution-focused ideas in writing to the PSD Review team by Friday 11
September. Many music teachers are keenly interested in students with special
needs, as music engages so many with positive outcomes.

Email your ideas to:
psd.review@edumail.vic.gov.au before Friday 11 September and you can also
register your interest in taking part in the online survey in September. To
register, please see: PSD Review - Education Victoria.

The thesis aligned various positions from previous reviews to
the consultation paper.It is well worth
a read, as it provides the probable direction for Education in general for the
next few years.

In summary the consultation paper proposes:

·Primary
schools reduce generalist teaching time, and increase specialist teaching times
similar to the Singapore model of delivery.Our submission supported this proposal as it aligns with our vision to
see expert specialist trained music teachers provided protected time on the
timetable.

·Secondary
school ‘lighthouse’ models in geographically appropriate locations.Our submission supported this in alignment
with the Victorian inquiry findings.

·Subject
mentoring support structures aligned to a new Institute.We supported this notion.

A direct quote from our submission around The Education State’s
vision to address equity and inequity in the system:

“We agree that schools with a
lower socio economic catchment, high levels of disengagement, and a high intake
of special needs students need added funding. Given that music can meet the
needs of the disadvantaged, the disengaged and the special needs student we
argue that further funding to employing, training and maintaining a specialist
teacher workforce would assist greatly in achieving the aspirations of the new
Andrews Labor government. To achieve this, structural change to pre-service
training, mentoring programs and remuneration to teacher leadership structures
need to be examined.“

We also raised concerns against the Terms of Reference in regard
to funding structures, Human Resourcing (Classroom and IMT) and Special Needs
students.

Sounds Great 2015 was held in the
outstanding facilities of Arts Centre Melbourne.

sMAG held an Open Forum at Sounds Great.The Plaza room was full!! Many and varied
questions came forward.

We reported verbally what we have been reporting in our ENews over the
last few months.We still have a long
road ahead of us.Music Education needs
a considerable time, investment, and collective effort from everyone in the
Music Education community to ensure our agreed vision becomes reality and makes
significant difference for generations to come. We have a real opportunity at
this point in time.The Andrew’s
government is clear on its commitment:“An Andrews Labor Government will help bring music lessons to every
Victorian school. so all Victorian government schools get the chance to refresh
or commence music education in theirclassrooms.”(Labor media release
and policy announcement November 12th, 2014.So let’s ride the wave
while the surf is up!Let’s all find
something we can contribute to the vision and make a real difference for
generations to come.

sMAG is a
non partisan committee, consisting of volunteers from all sectors of the music
community, and we welcome your input.A
survey is being developed to invite people’s input, however anyone is welcome
to email us at any point and make a contribution: smag.schoolmusicactiongroup@gmail.com.

Mentor
relationships are rewarding for both mentor and mentee.Across the field there are numerous graduates
coming into the music education classroom with new energy and vivacity.Some of us are closer to retirement and have
a wealth of knowledge to share!Why not
speak to your principal and/or networks and see if there is a relationship that
can be established in your local area?The intrinsic rewards are far reaching, and may blossom to have high
impact at this exciting time in music education.We don’t need to be employed or appointed to
take on such an endeavour – it can just be a matter of finding the right
relationship for your circumstances.

Become your own marketing manager.

Music
Play For Life offer significant online resources to equip the local music
teacher to speak out on behalf of their own programs, and the need for Music
Education in Schools.Have a look at the
website: http://www.musicplayforlife.org/pdf/mpfl_lobby_kit.pdf and display some of the
posters, and notices throughout your school, both in print and online.

News of music teachers forming DET
professional networks has come through to us. Congratulations on the
MorelandMunicipal Council music
teachers getting started - Great news! Your initiative to do
this off your own steam shows great leadership.We hope to hear of more such networks being developed through Melbourne
municipalities and regional Victoria, as it will bring such strength to our
community.

Mission Statement

sMAG (Vic) works cooperatively with the State and Federal governments, Universities and the music sector to ensure that the recommendations of the NRSME are adopted and implemented throughout the State of Victoria

Purpose

* To promote high quality school music education in all schools in Victoria
* To be a representative voice from all sectors supporting music education in schools
* To promote the value and status of school music education throughout the Victorian education sector and in the wider community
* To comment as appropriate upon matters relating to school music education
* To encourage and assist societies and organisations concerned with school music education and the professional development of teachers
* To promote singing as a foundation for developmental music education programs in all early childhood, primary and secondary settings
* To promote the inclusion of continuous sequential and developmental music study into the VELS
To promote the expansion of pre-service education and ongoing professional development of teachers to meet the needs of the delivery of high quality music teaching

Followers

Blog Space

A community discussion space aimed to inform the current debate in the National Curriculum development for Music. Followers are encouraged to read the linked documents in order to contribute.

“Music has a power of forming the character, and should therefore be introduced into the education of the young.” Aristotle.

sMAG

The School Music Action Group (sMAG) was formed immediately following the Victorian Music Workshop in April 2007. sMAG brings together representatives of the key music education community including teachers and principals as well as representatives from the tertiary music and education sectors music/arts bodies and the music industry.

The purpose of sMAG is to unify the music education sector and its stakeholders.